The County was named for the Oneida, one of the Five Nations of the Iroquois League or Haudenosaunee, which had long occupied this territory at the time of European encounter and colonization. The County is located in the central area of the state.

| colspan="7"| <center>Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1880. General compliance for births by 1915 and deaths by 1890.</center>

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{{Wikipedia|Oneida County, New York}}

==== Parent County ====

==== Parent County ====

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'''15 March 1798:''' Created from [[Herkimer County, New York Genealogy|Herkimer County]]. <ref name="HBG">''Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed.'' (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 490. {{WorldCat|50140092|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}; {{FHL|1049485|item|disp=FHL Book 973 D27e 2002}}.</ref>

'''15 March 1798:''' Created from [[Herkimer County, New York Genealogy|Herkimer County]]. <ref name="HBG">''Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed.'' (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 490. {{WorldCat|50140092|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}; {{FHL|1049485|item|disp=FHL Book 973 D27e 2002}}.</ref>

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==== Neighboring Counties ====

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[[Herkimer County, New York Genealogy|Herkimer]] | [[Lewis County, New York Genealogy|Lewis]] | [[Madison County, New York Genealogy|Madison]] | [[Onondaga County, New York Genealogy|Onondaga ]]| [[Oswego County, New York Genealogy|Oswego]] | [[Otsego County, New York Genealogy|Otsego]]<ref>''Handybook'', 478.</ref>

==== Boundary Changes ====

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==== Record Loss ====

==== Record Loss ====

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For a list of record loss in New York Counties see: [http://www.genealogyinc.com/newyork/ny-counties/#courthouse New York Counties with Burned Courthouses]

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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

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==== Populated Places ====

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For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit [https://newyork.hometownlocator.com/counties/cities,cfips,065,c,oneida.cfm HomeTown Locator]. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:<ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Oneida County, New York," in "Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oneida_County%2C_New_York, accessed 17 Feburary 2020. </ref>

:*'''1854-1896''' - [http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nyunywh/upstatenywelsh/daviesrecbk.html Rev. Edward Davies Record Book With a List of Marriages 1854-1896], courtesy: [http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nyunywh/upstatenywelsh/ Upstate New York Welsh Heritage].

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:*'''1854-1896''' - [http://sites.rootsweb.com/~nyunywh/upstatenywelsh/daviesrecbk.html Rev. Edward Davies Record Book With a List of Marriages 1854-1896], courtesy: [http://sites.rootsweb.com/~nyunywh/upstatenywelsh/ Upstate New York Welsh Heritage].

:*'''1816-1877''' Methodist Episcopal Church. Sauquoit Station {{FHL|164457|item|disp=FHL film 1378829 Item 17}} Contains names of preachers 1815-1877, records of members including deaths 1839-1843, class record 1846-1848, class record including baptisms and deaths 1847-1852, records of members including deaths 1843-1857.

:*'''1816-1877''' Methodist Episcopal Church. Sauquoit Station {{FHL|164457|item|disp=FHL film 1378829 Item 17}} Contains names of preachers 1815-1877, records of members including deaths 1839-1843, class record 1846-1848, class record including baptisms and deaths 1847-1852, records of members including deaths 1843-1857.

:*'''1839-1881''' Methodist Episcopal Church. Vernon Village Station {{FHL|163680|item|disp=FHL film 1378829 Item 14 }} Contains list of preachers 1839-1881, alphabetical list of members including baptisms and deaths, 1846-1860, alphabetical list of members and probationers including baptisms and deaths 1851-1866, record of deaths for 1871, marriages 1861-1865, baptisms 1846-1857. All lists that include baptisms should be searched because no single list with baptisms is a complete list of baptisms.

:*'''1839-1881''' Methodist Episcopal Church. Vernon Village Station {{FHL|163680|item|disp=FHL film 1378829 Item 14 }} Contains list of preachers 1839-1881, alphabetical list of members including baptisms and deaths, 1846-1860, alphabetical list of members and probationers including baptisms and deaths 1851-1866, record of deaths for 1871, marriages 1861-1865, baptisms 1846-1857. All lists that include baptisms should be searched because no single list with baptisms is a complete list of baptisms.

*[http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.oneida/mb.ashx Rootsweb message board ] for {{PAGENAME}} has many information threads about families that resided in that county. There is a search engine that allows you to search by surname and topic.<br>

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*[https://www.ancestry.com/boards/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.oneida/mb.ashx Rootsweb message board ] for {{PAGENAME}} has many information threads about families that resided in that county. There is a search engine that allows you to search by surname and topic.<br>

[http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nycnygs/index.htm Central New York Genealogical Society]<ref>''Central New York Genealogical Society'' at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nycnygs/index.htm (accessed 1 November 2011).</ref><br>Box 104, Calvin Station <br>Syracuse, New York 13205 <br>E-mail: [mailto:CNYGS@yahoo.com CNYSG@yahoo.com]

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[http://cnygs.org/ Central New York Genealogical Society]<ref>''Central New York Genealogical Society'' at http://cnygs.org/ (accessed 28 Oct 2018).</ref><br>Box 104, Calvin Station <br>Syracuse, New York 13205 <br>E-mail: [mailto:CNYGS@yahoo.com CNYSG@yahoo.com]

:*'''1664–1784''' New York. Secretary of State, ''Names of Persons for Whom Marriage Licenses Were Issued By the Secretary of the Province of New York, Previous to 1784'' (Albany, New York: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1860). At Cornell University [http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=moamono;idno=tuck0005 digital library]-free; [http://www.archive.org/stream/namesofpersonsfo02newy#page/n5/mode/2up Internet Archive] - free; [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=3177 Ancestry edition($)]; {{WorldCat|1508227|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}; {{FHL|342358|item|disp=FHL Film 514675 Item 1 or 930131 Item 2}}. Marriage bonds issued in the State of New York prior to 1784, and the earliest record dating 1664.<br>

:*'''1664–1784''' New York. Secretary of State, ''Names of Persons for Whom Marriage Licenses Were Issued By the Secretary of the Province of New York, Previous to 1784'' (Albany, New York: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1860). At Cornell University [http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=moamono;idno=tuck0005 digital library]-free; [http://www.archive.org/stream/namesofpersonsfo02newy#page/n5/mode/2up Internet Archive] - free; [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=3177 Ancestry edition($)]; {{WorldCat|1508227|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}; {{FHL|342358|item|disp=FHL Film 514675 Item 1 or 930131 Item 2}}. Marriage bonds issued in the State of New York prior to 1784, and the earliest record dating 1664.<br>

:*'''1856–1863''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=49240 ''Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald''] at [http://www.ancestry.com/ Ancestry]– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browseable. <br>

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:*'''1856–1863''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=49240 ''Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald''] at [http://www.ancestry.com/ Ancestry]– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browsable. <br>

:*'''1864-5, 1874-5''' See Marriage Schedule information in the State Census section of [[{{PAGENAME}}#Census|Census]] for marriage information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.<br>

:*'''1864-5, 1874-5''' See Marriage Schedule information in the State Census section of [[{{PAGENAME}}#Census|Census]] for marriage information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.<br>

:*'''1795–1952''' {{RecordSearch|1680842|New York Deaths and Burials, 1795-1952}} at [http://familysearch.org/ FamilySearch Historical Records] – free; Index. The entries are primarily from the IGI along with some entries derived from compiled and original records such as Family Records, Church Records, and Civil Registration. There may be entries that cite a specific source.<br>

:*'''1795–1952''' {{RecordSearch|1680842|New York Deaths and Burials, 1795-1952}} at [http://familysearch.org/ FamilySearch Historical Records] – free; Index. The entries are primarily from the IGI along with some entries derived from compiled and original records such as Family Records, Church Records, and Civil Registration. There may be entries that cite a specific source.<br>

:*'''1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80''' See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of [[{{PAGENAME}}#Census|Census]] for death information.<br>

:*'''1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80''' See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of [[{{PAGENAME}}#Census|Census]] for death information.<br>

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:*'''1856–1863''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=49240 ''Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald''] at [http://www.ancestry.com/ Ancestry]– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browseable. <br>

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:*'''1856–1863''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=49240 ''Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald''] at [http://www.ancestry.com/ Ancestry]– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browsable. <br>

:*See ''Town Clerks' Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War'' in the Civil War section of [[{{PAGENAME}}#Military|Military]] for death information.<br>

:*See ''Town Clerks' Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War'' in the Civil War section of [[{{PAGENAME}}#Military|Military]] for death information.<br>

:*'''1864-5, 1874-5''' See Mortality Schedule information in the State Census section of [[{{PAGENAME}}#Census|Census]] for death information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.<br>

:*'''1864-5, 1874-5''' See Mortality Schedule information in the State Census section of [[{{PAGENAME}}#Census|Census]] for death information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.<br>

Revision as of 18:42, 24 March 2020

Guide to Oneida County, New York ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

This page describes sources of genealogical data about Oneida County, New York Genealogy families, including links to smaller localities at the bottom of this page. New York-related pages show useful statewide sources. United States pages explain the terminology and contents of genealogical records.

The County was named for the Oneida, one of the Five Nations of the Iroquois League or Haudenosaunee, which had long occupied this territory at the time of European encounter and colonization. The County is located in the central area of the state.
[1]

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[4]

1581–1917New York, Family Bible Records at Ancestry– ($); Index. Database is a collection of genealogically important records taken from the Bibles of colony and state residents. Reveals the Bible's original owner, brief record of descendants,and a particular event such as birth or marriage as recorded in Bible.

Deaths are included for the 12 months prior to the census, 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, and 1879-80 beginning 1 June and ending 31 May of the census year.[5]

Basic contents of the records include: Name, sex, age, color, marital status, place of birth, month of death, occupation, and cause of death. 1870 also has parents' birthplace. 1880 lists how long a resident of the county.

New York State 1865 and 1875 Census Marriage, Mortality; and 1865 Soldier Mortality records:

Images available online at New York State Census, 1865 and New York State Census, 1875. Click on the link to go to the page, then click on the ‘Browse through images’ link and select your county, then select an ancestor's town and browse to the end of the population schedule until you find the Marriage, Mortality, and 1865 soldier mortality schedules.

Includes marriages and deaths for the 12 months prior to the census, ending 1 June of the census year.

Marriage entry content: Husband's name, wife's name, ages and previous marital status, month and day and place of marriage, and church or civil ceremony.

Death entry content: Name, age, sex, color, marital status, month and day of death, native state or country, occupation and cause of death.

Church records are good substitutes for birth, marriage, and death information and are most often found on a local city/town or county level. Published and manuscript church records can be found at public, university, and private libraries.

For a brief general history of denominations and a guide to finding various New York denomination's records, see New York Church Records Wiki page.

The NYGenWeb references mentioned below are found on their website categorized as either Birth, Marriage, Death, Miscellaneous, or Town records.

1816-1877 Methodist Episcopal Church. Sauquoit Station FHL film 1378829 Item 17 Contains names of preachers 1815-1877, records of members including deaths 1839-1843, class record 1846-1848, class record including baptisms and deaths 1847-1852, records of members including deaths 1843-1857.

1839-1881 Methodist Episcopal Church. Vernon Village Station FHL film 1378829 Item 14 Contains list of preachers 1839-1881, alphabetical list of members including baptisms and deaths, 1846-1860, alphabetical list of members and probationers including baptisms and deaths 1851-1866, record of deaths for 1871, marriages 1861-1865, baptisms 1846-1857. All lists that include baptisms should be searched because no single list with baptisms is a complete list of baptisms.

Additional Church Records

Additional church records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Oneida County, New York Genealogy Church Records in online catalogs like:

Rootsweb message board for Oneida County, New York Genealogy has many information threads about families that resided in that county. There is a search engine that allows you to search by surname and topic.

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.

See New York Land and Property for more details, especially about the papers generated in New York State by large speculative land companies.

Original land records in Oneida County, New York Genealogy began in [?dateyear?]. These records are housed at the [?repository?] in [?town?].

Online

Like other New York counties, Oneida County land records are available online at familysearch.org in the New York, Land Records collection. But they are filed under Herkimer County, not under Oneida County. There are two series of land records filed under Herkimer County. The one that begins in 1791 covers Oneida County, plus (during the early years after 1791) Herkimer County and probably other areas that belonged to those counties during the 1790s. The other series, which begins in 1804, covers Herkimer County only. Essentially, the early deed book series for Herkimer County was continued in Oneida County after it was created, and a new series was started for Herkimer County.

Original deeds in Oneida County, New York Genealogy county began in 1791. Deeds 1791–1885 are housed at the B–1 Records Center in Utica. Deed records 1886–present are housed at the County Clerk's Office.

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.

See New York Land and Property for more details, especially about the papers generated in New York State by large speculative land companies.

Online Land Databases

George Washington: His Land Purchases Made the Empire State. Utica, N.Y.: n.p., 1931?. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Town registers. The New York town clerks kept a bound register of all soldiers from their town serving in the Civil War 1861-1865. Registers are arranged by county, and town. Some town registers are missing. The registers include an index at the start of each town.

Content. Many register entries include full name, residence, date and place of birth, parents names, marital status, date of enlistment and muster and rank, discharges, death, or promotion.

Regiments Service men in Oneida County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Oneida County:[8]

Grimes, Marilla R. Some Newspaper References to Irish Immigrants in Oneida Co. New York. Death notices of Irish Immigrants in various newspapers within Oneida Co. New York State. covering years 1825-1865 The Irish Ancestor, vol.VI. no.2. 1974, pages 97-98. Family History Library Ref. 941.5 B2i v5-6

Old Fulton NY Post Cards has the largest online collection of 400 New York 1795-2007 newspapers. The instructions for this quirky site are needed to get the most out of it.

Probate records including original estates and wills for New York are held in the office of the county Surrogate Court beginning in 1787, or when the county was formed. Prior to 1787, most are housed at the New York State Archives. See New York Probate Records for more information about using probate records. Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.Record types: Wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distribution.

Probate Petitions

In 1830, state law required the Surrogate Court clerk to issue a probate petition for a deceased individual with property. This petition, unique to New York, usually lists the deceased's death date. It also lists the heirs, their relationship to the deceased, and their residence. Alice Eichholz, Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry Pub., 2004), 479. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27rb 2004. Henry B. Hoff, "Navigating New York Probate," American Ancestors 12 (Fall 2011): 57.

These petitions are often found in the estate files and can be obtained from the county Surrogate Court.

Unlike most other New York counties, early Oneida County probate records are mostly not available on familysearch.org and not available on microfilm through the Family History Library. When the Genealogical Society of Utah came through in the 1970s to microfilm Oneida County probate records, the will books were the only early records filmed in their entirety. The early case files, guardianship records, letters of administration books, and letters testamentary books were not filmed. Thus these records are only viewable today in person at the Oneida County Surrogate's Court and in part through its online OnBase system. The abstracts of the earliest probates (to 1835) made by Gertrude Barber are a useful alternative.

Case files to 1890 have been both microfilmed and scanned by the Surrogate's Court. A good index is available at the court which gives the file number and the microfilm roll number for each file. Microfilms are not on open shelves, but staff will retrieve a given roll number. The Surrogate's Court attempted to give custody of the original paper files to institutions in each Oneida County town, but reports are that some towns refused to take them. The scans of the estate files in the OnBase system can be viewed over the Internet with a login which takes 24-48 hours to receive. The quality of the scans is poor and using the microfilm is preferable when possible.

The Surrogate's Court holds 16mm microfilm of the letters of administration and letters testamentary books. The original books have been destroyed. These microfilms are not held by the Family History Library. A good index is available on site.

The Surrogate's Court holds the original will books on open shelves, but these are also available online at familysearch.org.

Early guardianships are available at the Surrogate's Court in 16mm microfilm. A good index is available on site.

The Surrogate's Court is located on the 8th floor of the Oneida County office building at 800 Park Avenue. Most staff have only a modest familiarity with older records so it is useful to come prepared.

Original county-by-county New York, Probate Records, 1629-1971 are available free online at FamilySearch. To access these records, click Historical Records below, then click "Browse through 1,630,900 images". Then select the county name, and then the probate records and time of interest.

Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Oneida County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1983). At various libraries; FHL Book 974.762 A3g. Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Genealogical resources: Ancestry.com, censuses, obituaries, cemeteries, city directories, newspapers, telephone directories, published family histories. A look-up service for Oneida County obituaries is available for a fee.

Genealogical resources: Ancestry.com, censuses, obituaries, cemeteries, city directories, newspapers, telephone directories, published family histories. A look-up service for Rome and Oneida County records is available for a fee. Local Records Inventory

Genealogical Resources: The County Historian may provide access to obituaries, vital records, church records, maps, and family files or journals. Some historians provide search services for their office records and others may refer you to local genealogists who research in the area.

The Oneida County Clerk's office has divorce, court, and land records. The Surrogate Court has probate records. For further information about where the records for Oneida County are held, see the Oneida County Courthouse page.

The library offers a wealth of historical and genealogical information with extensive information about local people and businesses. Hard-to-find and out-of-print books line the shelves and focus on the early history of the region as well as more recent accounts of life in and around Rome.

Town records in New York may include early births, marriages, deaths, divorces, local histories, selected military records, and town meeting minutes. Vital records from 1880/1882 are kept by town and village clerks, although some (Kent’s and Putnam Valley’s) are available in the County Historian’s Office. For further details, try the links to individual town Wiki pages found in Places. See also:

Gordon L. Remington, New York Towns, Villages, and Cities: A Guide to Genealogical Sources (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002). NEHGS online edition; At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 974.7 D27r. Alphabetical list including date founded, if a town history exists, church and cemetery sources, and if a Civil War register (TCR) exists.

Vital records of birth, marriage or death were first recorded at the local level in the village clerk, town clerk, or city clerk’s ledger book. If you know where a birth, marriage or death took place, a copy of the certificate or record may be obtained by writing to the town, village or city clerk. See also How to order New York Vital Records or order electronically online.

See the heading Places on this wiki page for links to local community wiki pages and their available records. See New York Vital Records for a discussion about beginning dates and availability of vital records in New York.

Early births were recorded on the town level and the years vary by town. (List of towns) The New York State Department of Health (state level) began recording births in 1881. Births were not recorded on the county level.

Early marriages were sometimes recorded on the town level and the years vary by town. (List of towns) In 1880, town clerks were to record the marriage and a copy was sent to the New York State Department of Health (state level). Town clerks continue to record marriages. Marriages were recorded by the Oneida County clerk starting in 1908 and go until 1935.

1800–1855New York Marriage Notices at Ancestry– ($); Index. This database is a collection of marriage notices published in newspapers around the state. Contains name of bride and groom, marriage date, marriage location, residence, and newspaper found in.

1805-1826 Danz, Elizabeth Nesbit. "Marriages Performed by the Honorable Prosper Rudd, 1805-1826," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 85, No. 3 (Jul. 1954):181-183. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 85. Rudd served as Justice of the Peace for Western, New York.

Early deaths were recorded on the town level and the years vary by town. (List of towns) The New York State Department of Health (state level) began recording deaths in 1881. Deaths were not recorded on the county level.

Additional resources for Oneida County births, marriages and deaths may be found in the New York, Oneida– Vital Records topic page of the FamilySearch Catalog . Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

↑Compare the more northerly route in Handybook, 849, with the more southerly route described in Wikipedia contributors, "New York State Route 5" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State_Route_5 (accessed 28 June 2011).